The Devil's Ultimatum
by pink-satin-ribbons
Summary: Logic and books could not help her wriggle out of the predicament she now found herself in. It was an ultimatum devised by the devil himself. Out of fear and on a whim, Hermione made her decision. "Fine." she said, "Consider me a slytherin." A veela fanfic.
1. A Deal With A Slytherin

**Author's note:** Hi there. Thanks for reading. Harry Potter belongs to J.K Rowling, blah blah blah. Don't sue. You've all heard it before. I hope you enjoy my first chapter of my first fanfic. Please review getting feedback would make my day! :)

-Jilly

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Chapter 1

A Deal with a Slytherin

Hermione Granger had devoted seven years to the greater good. From the moment she befriended Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley, her life had been one dangerous adventure after the next in order to rid the world of a dark wizard. She had suffered through countless losses, but Hermione knew that if given the choice she would not change a thing.

Despite the hardships she suffered, Hermione treasured every one of the years she had spent at Hogwarts, because during those years she had learned more about friendships, love, and destiny than anyone else.

As she sat at the gryffindor table in the Great Hall and watched the last sorting ceremony she would ever see, Hermione waved a silent goodbye to her past and welcomed her future. She planned to spend her final year alongside friends who loved her, without the impending threats of loss, prejudice, and hatred. She would embrace the year and finally allow herself to just float.

She glanced sideways at her friends. They were sitting beside her, and were engaged in a conversation about the upcoming quidditch season, but Hermione was not really listening. Harry smiled, and his wire-rimmed glasses caught the light as he shifted in his seat in order to hear Ron better. The two continued on with their easy conversation and Hermione could not remember a moment where she had felt happier.

Her attention was diverted as Headmistress McGonagall rose to address the students. She quickly nudged Harry and Ron who stopped their talking and rested their gazes on the teacher's table.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." McGonagall's voice resounded throughout the expansive room. "First and foremost I would like to introduce our esteemed Heads of the student body, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood."

There was scattered applause from every house table except from slytherin. A few students glanced quizzically at Hermione, but she just smiled good-naturedly. Many had expected Hermione to be Head Girl, and although she had been offered the position, she had turned it down because she did not desire to increase her workload during her final year.

McGonagall gave a tight smile before her face turned grave. "If I may have your attention once more, I have some less than desirable business to explain." A sudden hush fell over the students as she continued. "Now that the war has finished and Voldemort has been eradicated, we have the chance to repair old wounds. You are the defining generation of Hogwarts, and it is of the utmost importance that you put aside differences for the sake of future students. That being said, we must take drastic measures in order to ensure unity between the houses."

The students began to shift uncomfortably in their seats as the entirety of the headmistress's speech dawned on them. A few began to shoot nasty looks in the direction of the slytherins.

"That is why I have decided that it is necessary to move seventh year students to different houses."

An uproar broke out as the students began shouting about the unfairness of the situation and Hermione's heart sank. Mcgonagall had specified seventh year students. That could not mean Harry, Ron or her, could it? Surely, the headmistress understood how important gryffindor was to the golden trio.

McGonagall's icy glare immediately silenced the students. She pulled out a piece of parchment from her robes. "I have compiled a list of four students who will be trading houses. If you would all be silent, I could begin reading them and this nasty business could come to an end much sooner." The Great Hall was filled with a tangible quiet. "Very well then, I will continue." She adjusted her glasses so that they rested more comfortably on the bridge of her nose. "The first transfer is our Head Girl, Luna Lovegood, of ravenclaw and she will be switched to gryffindor house."

Luna did not seem saddened by the new arrangement and skipped from the ravenclaw table to a vacant seat beside Neville at the gryffindor table. Her Dirigible Plum earrings bounced as she did so.

"The next transfer is Wayne Hopkins of hufflepuff to ravenclaw house." Wayne rose from his seat with a dismayed look upon his face. He waved goodbye to his friends in Hufflepuff and made his way to a place at the ravenclaw table.

"Third, we have Astoria Greengrass of slytherin house who will be transferring to hufflepuff house."

Astoria stood from her seat at the slytherin table with a look of pure fury upon her face. She stormed over to the hufflepuff table where she glared down at a couple fourth years who shrunk away out of fear and made room for her. Hermione had to suppress a snort of laughter at Astoria's behavior.

"Finally, we have Hermione Granger of gryffindor as a transfer to slytherin."

The Great hall fell silent as Hermione stood shakily from her seat. Harry and Ron looked up at her, horrified, as she stumbled away from the gryffindor table. She sent them a forlorn, apologetic look before turning to face the slytherin table. She held her chin high as she walked, determined not to let the slytherins' cold glares brake her.

As she approached the table she could hear the word mudblood dripping from the mouths of the students in green who flanked the sides of the table she approached. Hermione took the vacant seat beside a third year slytherin who recoiled at her presence. He muttered something distasteful under his breath and his mates snickered at his snide comment.

Hermione was too distraught to listen as McGonagall finished her speech. When the feast finally appeared, Hermione felt too sickened to take a single bite. Instead, she resolved to sit in silence as everyone surrounding her ate.

After what felt like hours, the students were finally dismissed from the feast. She tried to find her way through the see of green robes that blurred her vision and searched in vain for the familiar familiar faces of Harry and Ron. She did not find them however, and was swept away as the students in green began to pour out of the Great Hall.

A moment later, the headmistress's voice rang out like a bell, "I would like all of the new transfers to immediately report to my office for further instruction." she said.

Hermione moved robotically as she exited the Great Hall and walked beside the other transfers as if in a trance. The whole situation felt surreal. She just could not seem to wrap her mind around the concept of leaving gryffindor.  
After a moment of waiting restlessly in front of the gargoyle that blocked the entrance to McGonagall's office, it finally leapt aside, revealing a winding staircase that climbed upwards. when the walked into the office they found McGonagall sitting with her glasses perched upon her nose. The bespectacled women, addressed each of them sternly before launching into a quick speech about how they should behave in their new houses.

"I know switching houses must be difficult for you. I would never have done this had there been a better way to promote house unity."

McGonagall then proceeded to explain where they would find they're new dormitories and she gave each it them their passwords.

"You will sit with your houses at the Great Hall. You will not spend time with your old houses. You will sleep in your new dormitories and take classes with your new classmates. You will earn points for your new houses and cheer for their quidditch team. You will wear the colors of your new house. Your new school robes have already been placed in your dormitories."

The students opened their mouths to protest, but the headmistress waved a dismissive hand. "I'm sorry it had to be this way. Now please go to your new dormitories."

A small tumult began in the office as the students became hysterical. The full weight of the situation had finally dawned on them. They were no longer part of their old houses. They were not aloud to spend time with their old friends. Hermione could no longer call herself a gryffindor. The headmistress finally subdued them with a glare. She shoved each of them out of her office and down the stairs.

After one last glance at her forlorn classmates, Hermione stumbled down a couple flights of magical stairs whilst remembering to skip over the occasional trick step. She soon found herself in the massive labyrinth beneath Hogwarts that was the dungeons. It was dark and dreary as she walked. Her way was lit only by the occasional torch, its fire licking the stone high stone walls that enclosed the hallways. She repeated the directions McGonagall had given her like a mantra. "Turn right, turn left, right, right, then left again."

It took her awhile to find her destination but eventually, she arrived in front of the entrance to the slytherin common room. A large portrait of a rather mean looking man stared down his cruel nose at her.

"Leave mudblood. Your presence in dirtying the air around my canvas."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. "Is that so? Well I'm awfully sorry, but it appears that you will have to get used to it, as I will be spending a great deal of time down here."

"I hardly believe that to be so. Surely the slytherins will tire of your sinfully filthy self and remove you as soon as they discover the worthless mudblood you are lurking outside their dormitories."

"You lot really need to come up with better insults. It's a pity the majority of your house lacks the brains to do so. 'Mudblood' is getting a tad boring." she yawned.

"Dirt! Filth! Vile little creature! Leave at once or I shall-"

"Shall what?"

"Or I shall inform the headmistress that a gryffindor is trying to sneak into the slytherin dormitories to cause mischief!" barked the painting.

"Gryffindors don't cause mischief. I believe that such childish antics are a characteristic of your house. Besides, I'm the new transfer to slytherin house. McGonagall would allow me entrance despite what the rest of your house has to say about it."

"You don't look like a slytherin."

"Are you daft? I just said I'm the new transfer. My new uniform is in the dormitories. If you would let me in I could change." huffed Hermione.

"Prove that you're part of slytherin house."

"I know the password."

The portrait's cold eyes widened. "Is that so?"

"Yes."

He smirked, "Then pray tell me what it is?"

Hermione wrinkled her nose and spit out, "Pure-blood."  
The portrait frowned at her but reluctantly swung open, muttering, "I hope slytherin house chews you up and then spits you back out into the dirt where you belong."

The slytherin common room was bathed in a predictable green glow. It came from the hearth, where a fire with green flames flickered dangerously. Dark green drapes hung over windows that showed the depths of the black lake and elegant dark wood furniture with green upholstery was placed meticulously throughout the room. A few other silver finishings dotted the mantle completing the overall slytherin personality of the room. Hermione had never felt so uncomfortable and out of place as she did in that moment. It was as if everything in the room felt an inherent hatred towards her.

As her eyes scanned the furnishings she spotted a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye. A hand, with long, pale fingers, gently swirled firewhiskey around in a glass. As the caramel colored liquid sloshed around the glass, Hermione's eyes trailed up the arm adorned in a white dress shirt and emerald cuff links. When she finally laid eyes upon the contours of the familiar face and the white blonde hair that fell messily around his eyes, she stiffened. Draco Malfoy sat on a green couch in front of the fire, whose green flames reflected in the depths of his silvery eyes.

Silently, Hermione tiptoed toward the stairs that led to the slytherin girl's dormitories. The last thing she wanted that night was a heated confrontation with Malfoy, and she would be damned if she let him verbally attack her when she was in such a vulnerable state. She crept forward slowly, all the while watching his back for any sudden movements.

A low chuckle sounded and Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin. Draco did not turn his head as he spoke. "Trying to sneak past a slytherin Granger? Surely you didn't think I would let you pass without a quick chat?"

Hermione glanced around the common room and put her hand on her wand. "Where are the other slytherins?"

"I sent them away." he drawled.

"And they just did what you told them? They left?"

She watched the back of his head as he nodded.

"Bloody lot of drones you all are."

"Language, Granger." he mocked.

"What do you want Malfoy?" Hermione bit.

"I want to make a deal."

This surprised her, and Hermione found herself drifting towards the couch he lounged upon so she could look him square in the eye.

"A deal with you?" she spat incredulously as she watched him swallow the rest of his firewhiskey.

"Yes." he sneered, enjoying her discomfort.

"Why would I ever want to make a deal with a bloody prat like you Malfoy?"

His cool eyes shot up to meet her scarlet brown ones. A slow smirk stretched across his face. "I happen to know that you have found yourself living in your worst nightmare." he stroked the rim of his empty glass with index finger.

"Worst nightmare? Ha! I can put up with you lot anyday!"

"Maybe so," he said complacently, "if you have Potter and Weasley with you."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, Granger, that you are nothing without your friends."

"That is not true!" Hermione shouted indignantly.

"Oh but it is." he smirked again. "Do you really think you would fare well in a place where everyone hates your very existence? Admit it." he rose from his place on the chair so he stood mere inches from her. "You loathe feeling out of control."

Hermione was silent as she stared up at him. She hated feeling like an open book.

"Without my help, slytherin house will tear you apart."

"What is it that you propose then?" she stuttered.

"I will tell the slytherins not to mock you, trick you, or hurt you in any way,"

"They won't hurt me? Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"If?" she questioned.

"If you agree to help us in our predicament."

Of course there was a catch. "And what might that be?"

He began to pace. "After the war, we slytherins have encountered some...difficulties. The rest of Hogwarts, including the faculty, believe we are inherently evil, and whether or not that is true, it is causing problems for my house. We slytherins are well-known for our unyielding ambition, and being slighted by professors is not helping us achieve our ends in the least. I think that having one-third of the golden trio on our side will not only work as a shield against the other houses because they don't want you harmed, but that you may also be able to help us drag our names out of the mud in the eyes of the faculty." he paused, "My proposition is that you forget about your friends Potter and Weasley and make new ones here in slytherin. In exchange for your collaboration with us, I can assure you that no harm will come to your person."

"So basically, if I fully become a slytherin and ditch Harry and Ron, you won't hurt me." Hermione summarized. "That sounds like a threat."

"It absolutely is."

Hermione glared at him. Despite the smirk that graced his lips, his demeanor was cold and unyielding. If she did not agree, then her final year at Hogwarts would be hell. On the other hand, if she did, she would have to leave Harry and Ron behind with her gryffindor past. Was it worth it to sacrifice her relationships with her best friends for her own safety? Logic and books could not help her wriggle out of the predicament she now found herself in. It was an ultimatum devised by the devil himself. Out of fear and on a whim, Hermione made her decision.

"Fine." she said, "Consider me a slytherin."

Then she stormed from the common room and up the stairs to the slytherin girl's dormitories, leaving Draco Malfoy below with a most devious expression plastered onto his pale features.

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**Author's Note:** Thanks for reading! Now click that sad looking review button to make it happy, OR THIS FANFIC WILL MAKE YOUR COMPUTER EXPLODE.

(not really) But seriously. Click it.

-Jilly


	2. Formulating Plans

**Author's Note: **Hello! This is the second chapter of my first fanfiction. I wanted to thank everyone who reviewed the first chapter. It made me so happy when I saw that you guys liked it.

I've decided to take this story in a bit of a different direction than I had originally intended. I've been reading a lot of veela dramiones lately and realized that I wanted that veela romance idea incorporated into my story.

If you don't know that J.K Rowling wrote Harry Potter than you're an idiot.

I hope you enjoy chapter 2!

-Jilly

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Chapter 2

Formulating Plans

Pansy Parkinson watched as Hermione Granger stormed up the stairs towards the slytherin girls' dormitories. She whisked the invisibility cloak off her shoulders and it fell, pooling gracefully around her feet. She then glanced at Draco who's head was still turned in the direction of the stairs Hermione had just climbed.

"Honestly Draco," she snapped, "will you stop doing that? You look like a lost puppy."

"I do not." he replied coldly.

He looked down at his empty glass and waved his hand over it. The glass instantly filled itself with the amber liquid. He quickly tossed it back and relished in the feeling of the firewhiskey burning its way down his throat.

"You've been drinking a lot more lately." Pansy accused.

"Of course I have." Draco replied sourly.

"Well, you should stop."

"I don't take orders from anyone Pansy, and certainly not you."

"You'd take orders from Granger." Pansy wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"I'm warning you Parkinson..." Draco growled.

"Oh come on Draco, I was only making a joke."

"Well I'm not in the mood."

Pansy sighed in exasperation as Draco tossed back another shot of firewhiskey. She reached over and tried to grab the glass from his hand but he held it out of her reach with ease and simultaneously raised an eyebrow at her.

"Please Draco, stop drinking the firewhiskey." she pleaded.

"I need it. It helps with the...desires." He smirked as he said the last word and brought the glass up to his lips again.

"Oh I see. You're trying to drown your Granger cravings in alcohol."

"It's a veela thing. You wouldn't understand." he replied flippantly.

"What I don't understand is why you're making this so hard on yourself. Why is it that you're using this sodding plan of yours instead of using your veela powers like you should be." said Pansy.

"It would feel like I was manipulating her if I used my veela powers to make her love me."

"But why?" groaned Pansy, "It's a completely natural thing for a veela! Even magical law protects the right of a veela to pursue his mate in his desired manner."

"Granger and I," he paused, "have an awful lot of history that could get in the way of a relationship. I don't want to add veela powers to that equation also."

Pansy was silent as she considered this. It made sense but she could also see that Draco was physically hurting because of his need to be with moved to sit beside Draco. They were quiet for a while. Pansy stared into the green flames licking the edges of the hearth and Draco watched the firewhiskey slosh around his glass.

"Draco?" Pansy asked.

"Hmmm?""Do you think that threatening her friendship with Potter and Weasley was the best idea? I mean, I know she is scared slytherin house will hurt her, but do you think that will keep them away forever?" she asked.

"No." drawled Draco, "I do not think that threats will keep the golden trio apart forever. It's fine though. I don't need to end their friendship." He paused as he thought something over. "I could try to end their friendship just for the sake of it, but those gryffindors are so bloody resilient. It would be an agonizingly long task and as I stated earlier, I'm simply not in the mood."

"But why do you have to temporarily break up their friendship? How does that help you and Hermione?"asked Pansy.

"What's with the game of twenty questions Parkinson?" Draco watched as Pansy crossed her arms. "Fine. I need them to be apart for a while because Granger would never admit feelings for me if those two were constantly around. I don't want them getting in the way of my plan."

Pansy nodded before saying, "If you want I could help you mess with Weasley and Potter."

"No. Leave Weasley and Potter to me. But if you really want to help, be Granger's friend and get the other slytherins to be kind to her. I don't want her to feel like she's alone."

Pansy smirked, "Well, soon enough she'll have you to keep her company."

Draco flashed a genuine smile at the thought.

"Yes she will."

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Emerald green curtains were whisked open. Light poured in, seeping behind Hermione's eyelids and rousing her from what little sleep she had gotten. "What the-" she started as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. A shadow passed over her and she looked up. After a bit of squinting, her eyes adjusted to the change in light, and the shadow took the solid form of Pansy Parkinson.

"Rise and shine!" Pansy trilled. Hermione looked around. The only light in the room came from a few green lamps. The other slytherin girls were still sleeping, and the drapes surrounding their beds were drawn.

"What are you doing here Parkinson?"

"I'm waking you up."

"In the middle of the night?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"It's morning." Pansy replied.

"Hardly."

Pansy grabbed Hermione's arm and pulled her from the comfort of her stark cold hit Hermione's bare arms and legs, causing her to shiver violently. She was then pulled into the bathroom where rows of products were littered across the long countertop and a long mirror.

"Parkinson! What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm going to help you look the part." she replied.

"What part?"

"The part of a slytherin!" Hermione frowned and started to turn back towards her bed.

"I'm going back to sleep." She tried unsuccessfully to get under the covers while Pansy pulled at the arm incessantly.

"Go away Parkinson!" Hermione hissed.

"No! I have to help you get ready for class!"

Hermione whirled around and placed her hands on her hips.

"Why do you care what I look like?"

"I don't care." Pansy replied.

"Then why did me wake up at this godforsaken hour just to get ready for a day of classes?" Hermione seethed. Pansy paused for a moment before answering.

"Granger, you made a deal that you would fully commit to slytherin." she stared down at Hermione with her dark eyes. "That means you have to look and act the part."

"How did you know about the deal?" Hermione asked.

Pansy waved a dismissive hand. "Everyone knows about it. Do you honestly think Draco would make a decision on behalf of slytherin house without asking us first?'

"Yes."

"Than you really don't know him." Pansy retorted.

They were silent for a moment as they glared at each other, then Hermione's voice broke the quiet."Fine. You can help me get ready." Hermione took one look at Parkinson's excited expression and hastily added, "But just this once."

Pansy squealed in excitement as she ran intobthe bathroom and scooped up an armful of makeup potions. She flew around Hermione, applying them here and there until she was satisfied. Then she set about taming Hermione's curly mess of hair. A couple charms, a few muggle appliances, and a bunch of hair potions later, Hermione was finished.

"Pansy? Can I see what I look like now?" Hermione asked.

"Nope. First we have to get you in your school robes. I want you to see the overall effect."

"Ugh. I don't want to put those on." Hermione groaned.

"Don't be silly. You'll look great in green."

"That's what I'm worried about." muttered Hermione.

Pansy picked up the school robes that the house elves had laid out for Hermione the night before. She quickly shrugged on the skirt and a white button down top. She turned to face Pansy and Pansy scratched her chin as she examined her.

"Hmmm..." she said, "It needs a few adjustments."

"Adjustments? What? You can't adjust a Hogwarts uni-"

She was cut of as Pansy hit her with a few, quick charms. Her top tightened and the first few buttons popped open to reveal skin, dipping low into the valley between her breasts. Her skirt shortened so that it exposed ample skin and barely covered her bum.

"Pansy..." hissed Hermione. "Fix my clothes this instant!"

Pansy snickered before obliging. Hermione's skirt lengthened a bit so that it fell to mid-thigh and the top buttoned itself so that less skin was exposed. The end result was still prettier than the average slytherin uniform, but more conservative than Pansy's original idea.

"Ok. I think you're done."

Pansy grabbed Hermione's shoulders and dragged her in front of a charmed mirror. Hermione's mirror image waved at her before twirling around happily, seemingly content with its outfit. She smiled at her reflection. She had not felt this pretty since her fourth year during the Yule ball. Hermione's hair was tamed, for once, into beautiful, ringlet curls. They framed her face perfectly. She also wore a bit of makeup. Pansy had applied a bit of mascara and some lip gloss that gave her lips a flushed and rosy tinge. Her eyes popped a bit more than usual due to the light eyeshadow she wore and her irises seemed to take on a caramel color instead of their usual boring brown. Her only regret was her uniform's green accents. How she missed red and gold...

"Hermione?" Pansy's voice roused Hermione from her thoughts.

"Yes?"

"We should probably go down to breakfast now."

"Ok. Sure." Hermione replied. Hermione walked in front of Pansy as they descended the stairs to the slytherin common room. Hermione turned her head to look over her shoulder at Pansy.

"Do you think this new slytherin look will draw too much unwanted attention from the gryffindors?"

Pansy smiled and shook her head. "Of course not." Hermione seemed wary of Pansy's answer but accepted it nonetheless. "It won't be the attention of a gryffindor that your outfit will draw. Instead, it will be the attention of a certain blonde slytherin."

Hermione did not hear Pansy's last statement however. She was to busy contemplating how her new slytherin appearance would be received by her two best friends when she arrived in the Great Hall for breakfast.

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**Author's note: **I realize that it was not quite as long as chapter 1, but I kind of needed to use it as a sort of filler chapter because I needed to introduce the new veela theme.

I hope you liked it, and if you didn't then I'm sorry you wasted the past two minutes of your life reading it.

(Just kidding. I'm not sorry.)

Please review! Oh and if you don't... I'LL FIND YOUR PHONE NUMBER AND REPEDIATLEY SEND YOU THOSE CREEPY FORWARD MESSAGES THAT EVERYONE HATES. (nah. I probably won't do that. It seems like too much work.)

Ta ta for now!

-Jilly


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